The Sun. — London, England, 1838-12-29 00:00:00

t progressive improvement, 20 years of which was profound peace. Let them not suppose that from the repeal of the Corn-laws, unaccompanied by other measures, any benefit would accrue to them. No ; but if they obtained Universal Suffrage, tken they would be able to turn the repeal of those laws to their own advantage•—(Cheers.) He would ask, who were the political economists of the present day ? Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Ward, the Member for Sheffield, and Mr. Francis Place ?—these men knew as little about political eco nomy as a pig did of geometry.—( Roars of laughter.) If they gave one of these men a cabbage-garden to cultivate, they would grow cabbages in it to all eternity, never supposing that it would grow any thing else ; and yet these men talked of going to Poland for corn, instead of making the Irish happy to cultivating the land. Mr. Spring Rice asserted that the Irish people must be happy, because the deposits were increasing in the Savings Banks. That he (Mr. O'Connor) contended was the greatest proof of their poverty. In England, when the money was going into the Savings Banks, it was an un iust abstraction from the comforts the working classes ought to enjoy; but, in Ireland, it was an abstraction from the legitimate use to which capital should be applied. —(Hear, hear.) Why was the money deposited in Savings Ranks in Ireland.? because there was no confidence between the landlord and the tenant. The land was left uncultivated, and the Government was receiving the interest of the poor man's money. No wonder, therefore, Mr. Spring Rice was glad of its increase. It could not be denied, that the people of that country were industrious. They might ace them upon the tops of the highest houses—paving the streets--and ready to take any j o b ; and therefore that meeting would agree with him. thatit was necessary to provide such men with sustenance, a happy house, and clean fireside. By means of steam Irish men could now work in Dublin till five o'clock on Monda) evening, and passing over to Liverpool in the course of the night, without the loss of a single day, throw themselves into the labour market in that country, and deprive the working classes of employment.—( Cries of " Hear.") Well then Ireland was the breeding country, and why, they cou ld not stop it was, because he believed that the women there bred without the men—(Great laughter) They brought forward their Malthusian principles, to assist them, and in order to show that the House of Commont. was always indulging in scientific legislation—(Lau g ht er ) They wer e a l ways i n d ulg i ng in legislation e upon spices, and sweets, but he defied theth to show him any legislation with respect to agriculture or potatoes—(Cheers). Lord Chan dos was always taking about the landlords, while they sup posed he was talking about the land. New he (Mr. O'Connor) was talking about the men that dig, and delve, and grow ; but who get nothing.—(Cheers). Now he wanted to teach the people that agriculture and commerce should make head. But then it was said, oh, if you can't live here you can go to New South \Vales, or Canada. Indeed ! When he saw gentlemen's pleasure grounds broken up for the benefit of the people and agriculture ; when he saw commons enclosed and divided ; so soon as he found that race-courses were broken up, that race horses and dogs were put an end to, and that then the people had not enough, then he would join them in quest of other lands in other countries.—(Cheers.) But first. please God, they would try their power at home.— (Cheers.) n e meeting would now, perhaps, allow him to introduce to them Mr. Whittle, the delegate from Liverpool, and the Editor of the Champion newspaper. --(Great cheering.) He could assure them that lie was a great friend to the cause of the people.—(Cheers.) Now be had told the meeting two or three things ; he had told them the different modes by which they must agitate England and Ireland.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He had shown them that the Government would not inter fere with the present existing duties upon agriculture, and be had shown them that the land of the country was amply sufficient for the supply of the population, if properly em ployed.—(Cheers.) He could assure the meeting that they would not see halcyon days until they had accomplished Universal Suffrage.—(Cheers.) He had cautioned them against the 'Malthusians and the Cern-law Repealers.— (Cheers.) Upon the one side they had Lord Durham and the Household Suffrage party, against whom he could not sufficiently caution them.—(Cheers.) When a party got up, looking for extreme liberty and for their just rights, at tempts were made to intimidate them ; and when the Go vernment found they were not sufficiently strong, then they created another party, in order to de feat the purposes of the former.—( Loud cheers.) House hold Suffrage might be a good thing, but there was not a man who advocated it that would give it to them.— (Cheers.) If they were to say to Lord Durham they would take Household Suffrage, what would that Noble Lord say ? Why, " I will still be for Universal Suffrage, but I don't ask for any other man to be so."—(Cheers.) Then they had Harry Brougham ; he had written a capi tal letter to the Queen—(Cheers)—and if he (Mr. O'Connor) could get over the damnable Poor-law Bill, and some of the other measures that Harry had intro duced, there was no man he should more approve of, and nothing would delight him more than to see those two cocks, Harry and Durham, sparring toge ther—(Laughter)—if they were, he would make a bet that Harry would have him under.--(Loud cheers.) Durham would be like an inflated balloon---(Laugh ter was )—or like a ba rre l organ—the moment the wrong spring touched, Barry would catch him.—(Great laughter.) (Clßut tb.. worst was Harry was not to be depended o n_ aeers). Harry had said every man ought to lay up in youth enough for his old age ; he—(Mr. O'C.) admitted that, but then Harry did not practice what be preached, and at the very time he broached that doctrine he was ad ding to his own income —(Cheers). They must sling a ring about these two fellows, he begged their pardon Noble Lords, but they must do do it quietly ; they had the best of it, and they must take care that neither of those fellows had the best of them—(Cheers). They were told that Russia was a power which this country dreaded—let them recollect that there was a strong feeling existing in the country towards Poland, and let them bear in mind that Lord Durham, when he came from Russia, said that Nicholas was a much injured man—(Hear, and cheers) — and let them also bear in mind the conduct of that Noble Lord in Canada.—(Cheers.) There was another party that would threaten them—parties that were frightened at their own shadow—parties that never heard of Universal Suffrage, but saw physical force.—(Cheers.) Now as to physical force, he (Mr. O'Connor) had told them there was a meeting yesterday at Bristol ; the military were called out ; that meeting had been legally and properly conducted ; and if the military had injured one man attending it, he would not have given ten hours' purchase for all Bristol put together.—(Great cheering.) They were in the habit of reviling the agricultural labourers, and saying they were ignorant. Now he had received a letter from an agricul tural labourer, part of which was published in The Sun of that evening, in which he said the landlords and farmers had sent a troop to suppress the meeting at Bristol, and that the labourers of the district had sub scribed to pay eleven of their body to attend the meeting, who were to act as half-hourly scouts to report:p rogress ,: an d concluded by expres s i ng t h e i r i ntent i ons, in case of any murders being committed. Well, notwithstanding all this. he (Mr. O'Connor) was there with his head on his shoulders, and he believed that of the Duke of Beaufort's was in the right place also.---(Cheers.) The authorities of Bristol were determined to take great care of him, and accordingly they billetted no less than six persons at the inn where he slept. There they were, determined to take good care of him, with their great plough-shares by their sides, and a most laughable figure they cut, and it was his firm belief that if they had begun to fight, they would kill no person but themselves.—( Laughter.) In six weeks Parliament would assemble, and all he asked was, that they would take no steps to damage their cause.— (Cheers, and cries of "We will not.") He trusted they would not let it be said that they wanted Universal Suffrage to plunder and rob--(Cheers)—but that they were determined that legislation should not stand still till they had Universal Suffrage.—(Cheers.) Front the moment that the Reform Bill passed up to the present time notwithstanding the boasts of Mr. O'Connell, no single Act had passed fur the benefit of the working man—(Cheers)—a n d he trusted the meeting would say to that individual, " We will forgive you all your faults, if, with all the power you possess, you will show us anything you have done for the benefit of the working man." When be(Mr. O'Connor) was in the House of Commons heard done all he could for the working classes—(Cheers)—h e had laid the foundation -stone for saving the Dorchester labourers —(Cheers)--and he did all he could to save the unfortunate Glasgow cotton- spinners.—( Cheers.) They must suppose there was something wrong, when a man who had so much power to shake a Ministry as Mr. O'Connell had, could not put his finger upon a single sheet of the Statute book, con taining some enactment to better the condition of . the working classes.--( Cheers.) Was it for this that he was to be abused 2 Was it for this that Mr. O'Connell should stand up in Dub was guilty of treason ? What lin and say he (Mr. O'Connor) did Mr. O'Connell do ? Why, he took a paper, and read from Mr. a speech he (Mr. O'Connor) never made. What wa rn s Mr. O'Connell, or how consistent was he ?--(Hear, hear.) Why he (Mr. O'Connor) had heard him on a Saturday call the House of Commons 650 pickpockets. H e O'Connor) sat by him on the following Monday, when o (Mr. Lod Saudon ch arge d hi m w i th it. H e (M r. O'Connor) saidot up t him stick t o i t , an d w h at did Mr. O 'C onne ll d o, why he g and denied it ; stat i ng to him (Mr. O 'C onnor ) that he would not say they were 650 pickpockets, because if be did, he should be one himself---( Great laughter). Look to his great Pre. cursor Society ; it was pretended that its great object was t o effect the repea l o f the Union ; if such had been its object he (Mr. O'Connor) would have decidedly favoured it, but it had no such object in view„—(Cries in the crowd of Question, question). Who cried question—the question was whether the people of Ireland were with them or not. A Person in the crowd—." Mr. O'Connell never called them 650 pick-pockets; he called them 660 scoundrels." Mr. FRAROUSI O'CONNOR stood corrected, it was 650 scoundrels._.( Great cheering.) He had now spoken to them on several points, and he had cautioned them against having disunion in their ranks; and he would now conclude by re lating to them an anecdote which had been told by Mr. Frost, the Magistrate of Monmouth, one of the delegates to the National Convention, for the purpose of showing the beautiful working of the Reform Bill. "In the town of New port there were four houses, Nos. 1, 2 and 3, belonged to a party entertaining Whig principles, No. 4 was the property of an individual of high Tory notions ; and at the registration there, No. 4 being about to be disfranchised, the Solicitor for the Tory party got up and said, " please your Worships, but there is a water-closet attached to No. 4."—(Great laughter.) " Oh," said the person presiding, " that may alter the case." The Whig So licitor then got up and said, "the water-closet belonged to the four houses ; the party presiding said again that would alter the case—(Laughter)—and ultimately the whole of the houses were enfranchised. So much for the value of the seats for Newport.—(Cheers.) This was the sort of freedom which the people enjoyed, and a pretty sort of freedom it was. In W iltshire he had seen women, dressed in men's jackets, breaking stones upon the roads—( Cries of " Shame")—and they had no alternative but either to do that or be immersed in a bastile.—( Cries of " Shame I') He (Mr. O'Connor) was determined not to leave London, notwithstanding the threats of the police—(cheers)—Mr. Ward, the Times, and the Globe, until he had established a Union there similar to those which he had established in the north. There he had raised the temple of liberty, and he was determined that its banner should float over the metro polis of England.—(Great cheering.) Every meeting in London gave increased power to their exertions, and they must all register a vow in heaven, that thee would have Universal Suffrage or die in the attempt. Mr. O'Connor sat down amid loud and long continued cheering. Mr. THOMAS moved the first resolution. which was to the effect that the principles contained in the People's Charter of Universal Suffrage, Annual Parliaments, to Property Quali fication, and the payment of Members for their services, were just and reasonable, and that this meeting should adopt them ; and also that Mr. Cardo should be the delegate for Maryle. bone to the National Convention. The nresent struggle was for the establishment of a good moral principle among them. The rich said they were moral, but where was their example of that ? They fared sumptuously every day, but they denied even the common necessaries of life to the poor. Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR here interrupted Mr. Thomas by stating, that he had that moment got a second edition of The Sun, containing an account of the arrest of the Rev. J. R. Stephens, the following was the account of it : " MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING, TEN o'Ceoca.—This morning two Bow-street officers arrived in this neighbour hood, armed with a warrant from the Secretary of State for , he apprehension of the Rev. J. R. Stephens, of Ashton under-Lyne. The caption was effected without the least up roar, or even suspicion, till the thing was effected. He was conveyed to Worsley for examination, and from thia circum stance there can be little doubt, but that this arrest is in consequence of some proceedings at Leigh, about two or three weeks since, on which occasion it is well known that the speech (which has not, that I am aware of, appeared in any journal) was unusually piquant. Whether the examina tion will be private I cannot say, but if not, you will, of course, have information of what transpires. It is understood here that a sort of preliminary investigation will take place this evening. All the Magistrates of the district, how ever, arc summoned to meet tomorrow, and as far as in formation goes, at Worsley. Should the proceedings be private, which is most probable, you must be content with the on digs of the day. I shall endeevour to be a diligent caterer. Mr. Oastler is in Manchester, and has been in the neighbourhood now nearly a fortnight. There is not the least excitement here in consequence of these proceedings." He would leave the meeting to form their own conclusion of that, and let the business now proceed. Mr. Thomas con cluded by proposing Mr. Cardo as the delegate to represent Marylebone at the National Convention. The motion was seconded, and Mr. CARDO came forward amid much cheering. Ae he had been proposed as a delegate, it was necessary that he should give this meeting his opinions upon the principles of the People's Charter. They were not new to the people of this country. They were no innovations ; most of them had stood among the laws of the land, and it was for the purpose of placing them again among those laws that the People's Charter had been set a-foot. It was said that they were too poor and ignorant to have the franchise. Incited ! whose fault was that, when the different charities of the country were considered, and when a priesthood was paid for in structing the working classes, and took from them five or six millions a-year for that purpose? The very parties who were paid to instruct the poor wished to keep them in ignorance, in order that they might apply the funds that had been devoted by charitable individuals for education to their own purposes.—(Great cheering.) It was said they were poor, that was true enough, but still they formed the greater part of a nation, they formed the greater part of the produc tive power of a nation, equal to double the number of men on the face of the globe. —( Great cheering.) Give them Uni versal Suffrage and they would make that productive power the property not of individuals, but the people at large._ In his opinion the franchise would not be secure without the Ballot ; and as to Annual Parliaments, they came forward recommended by the usage and custom of their ancestors. With regard to the property qualification, look at the present House of Commons : the pampered pensioner there was always ready to work for the prostituted Whjg Government. —(Cheers.) In his opinion, it was necessary that Members should be paid for their services, because then their services could be commanded. Labour was the only property unre presented; there was no compensation whatever for the la bouring man except in the dungeons of the new Poor-law Bill and the despots of Somerset-house.—(Great cheering.) Meetings like the present were held for the purpose of pushing forward the car of universal liberty, and he trusted that they would all determine not to relax in their exertions till the citadel of oppression was rased from the ground.-- (Continued cheering.) When such things had taken place—when the rights of liberty had been recognized, and oppression put down, then would the children of industry ex claim, " The day is ours."—(Great cheering.) Mr. WHITTLE, the Delegate from Liverpool, then came forward, and was most enthusiastically received. He had at tended there that night for the purpose of apprizing this meet ing of the arrest of Mr. Stephens, but Mr. O'Connor had already given them that information. He was anxious, how ever, to take that opportunity of stating to the present meet ing the object of this proceeding, and the character of the in dividual against whom it has been commenced. There bad been a statement put forth that Mr. Stephens had instigated the burning of a factory. Now, in the neighbourhood in which that factory was situated, it was firmly believed that the work was not that of an incendiary. Indeed the owner of the will had put forward an advertisement in Ashton, stating his firm belief that it arose from a pure acci dent by the spontaneous combustion of oil and cotton.—. (Cheers.) What, he would ask, had been the reason for in carcerating Mr. Stephens? Why, merely for the purpose of frightening people from attending meetings such as this.— (Cheers.) The present system of persecution bad began when Mr. O'Connell denounced Mr. Stephens as the advo cate of physical force. What was there, be would ask, in that accusation ?—it implied no crime, because eminent lawyers had said there was no peace for the people, unless the laws were upheld by the people with arms, and knew how to use theme—( Cheers.) He believed if the men of London did their duty they would accomplish the object they had in view.—( Loud cheers.) Their enemies had been filled with consternation and dismay, a n d h e felt confident the day was their'!.—( Cheers.) Sir F. Burdett, at Birmingham, had told them the Tories could not take office—and that if they would put down the Pope he would support the Whigs--(Cheers and laughter.) The Marquis of Chandos was against the repeal of the Corn-laws, and the other party said if it was not repealed they would be ruined.—(Loud cheering.) He congratulated Mr. Cardo in having been elected to a post of such high honour as a Delegate in times of danger, and he felt no doubt that he would fill it with credit to himself and benefit to the working classes.—(Cheers.) Of Mr. Stephens, who had just been in. carcerated, he would only say that he was one of their most manly Delegates, that he (Mr. W.) honoured him and was proud of his personal acquaintance.—(Great cheering.) Mr. MAITLAND said that the arrest of Mr. Stephens had set the wheel of revolution in motion, and he felt no doubt the same step would be resorted to when the Na tional Convention met.--(Cheers.) A crisis was at hand, and it remained to be seen whether the men of England would come forward and preserve their own rights...--( Cheers. ) Priestcraft in all countries was alike, whether Protestants or Catholics ; and there was no cure for it, but to take away the bone of contention from both.—(Great cheering.) He knew it was a sore place to talk of America, but there there was no State Church— (Cheers)—and if her example was followed, a cheap Government would be obtained, as well as Universal Suffrage.—(Cheers.) If physical force was resorted to for the purpose of putting down the people, they were justified in resorting to it to put down their oppressors.--( Cheers.) Mr. O ' CONNOR-Before he put the resolution to the meet ing would take the opportunity of saying a few words with respect to the arrest of Mr. Stephens. He was now in the hands of their enemies; he was a man who had stood by the cause of the people through good report and through bed report, and he trusted that the people would now stand by him ; that they would not injure his cause by any vio lence, as that was all that their enemies now wished.— ( Cheers.) If to-morrow the people who loved Mr. Stephens because he was a good fostering shepherd over his flock, which was the people, if they now let their excitement get the better of them, the Government wculd be enabled to put them down piecemeal. They would then gain a triumph over the unarmed people, and they would have no difficulty in finding a jury of shopkeepers to find them guilty.--(Cheers.) He had long been an agitator, and he had often used strong lan guage. During a period of seven years he been agitating and using strong language, bathe had ever counselled peace, and no one had ever been imprisoned for attending any meeting which he had counselled. Discretion was the better part of va lour, and he trusted that the people would not commit any breach of the peace, for it would be sure to damage the cause of Mr. Stephens. Let them be united, not by oaths, for they were only for traitors, but let them be firm and all would yet be well. As Mr. Stephens had become odious in the eyes of their oppressors, so no doubt were all who agitated in the e .! n r,s: stv e e a ryj u u s fs e rt . ev ; Come what might to Mr. Stephens, he (Mr. " ), would never desert him.—( Cheers.) He had often been taunted with having counselled physical force, and that be the first t'ol but one prophecy of his had become true. He ' uneantly said that the oppressors of the people would they gave the peeor!?ehysical force, and that they would, before and now they their just rights, viz., Universal Suffrage; Stephens was ;17 friend must not make Ifeen a rm so hm .— yrea l ea G axi roans. The arrest of Mr. iu force) their The end of e a a r v r u e u s r t s, theirbut it would, as it ought to do, thessuerres . t ) h eTmh, that t r a i n e t t s egmhthem more resolute.—(Loud look before them, for he could murder Mr. Stephens, or any one of the people's friends, and f rom every drop of blood ' so shed, 10,000 friends would spri ng up._ (Loud cheers.) If his ad vice was taken, the indignity offer e d to the people in theper son of Mr. Stephens would recoil upon their enemies. He had frequently cautioned them against the efforts of sham THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1838. Radicals, and he did so again, for they would most undoubt edly now play into the bands of the Whigs. Tbey had nothing to fear from the Tories, for they were down never again to rise. They had little to fear from the Whigs, but let them beware of those who professed to be their friends. It was to the sham-Radicals that the incarceration of Mr. Stephens was owing. That Reverend, and really kind hearted man, as well as himself, had been denounced by those sham friends; but notwithstanding the denunciation of Mr. Ward, the sham-Radical Member for Sheffield, or the kind enquiries of Sergeant Campbell—(Loud laughter)—he was still amongst them.—(Cheers.) He would tell their enemies;to pause, to considerwell what they wore about to do, for if they irritated the people beyond the point of endurance, woe unto them, for it would be indeed difficult to stop the carnage when it was once begun. He for one would stand by Mr. Stephens, and he trusted the people of London would do the (Cheers.) Mr. CARDO said as they had done him the honour of electing h'm their delegate, he begged to say a few words before the resolution was passed. The Whigs bad laid their hands upon Mr. Stephens —it was an index of their determination ; but he could assure them that even if he shared the same fate, he was determined to follow the same line of conduct as had been pursued by that really good man.—(Loud cheers.) fie had sworn never to be quiet until Universal Suffrage had been gut, and nothing but the attainment of that object or a prison would satisfy him. GEORGE said he knew Mr. Stephens well, and a more kind-hearted man did not exist. lie might have spoken too boldly, but he (Mr. G.) knew that he meant no harm. The resolution was then unanimously adopted, and the meet ing adjourned. charge against him of having recommended violence was uncontradicted.—(Hear, hear.) He had been guilty of a clear overt act of high treason, and this was a leader of the people!—(Cheers.) Mr. O'Connell then read the follow ing address:--. REPORT-of the COMMITTEE, to whom was referred the REPLY of the WORKING LIENS' ASSOCIA TION of LONDON, to the ADDRESS voted by this SOCIETY on the 29th day of November, to the persons staling themselves the RADICAL REFORMERS OF ENGLAND. Your Committee have read, paragraph by paragraph, and deliberately considered, the document addressed io the Irish people, and signed by Henry Mitchell and others, on behalf of the Working Mens' Association of London, and they re gret to say that there is nothing in it, to which they could feel themselves authorised to recommend to the Precursor Society to make any answer. This regret, however, is much diminished by the nature and style of the Address of the Working Mens' Association. The st)le is miserably bad, inflated, and vapid. The matter i 3 either personally calumnious, equivocating, or suggesting topics which render the Association from which it emanated objectionable, and even criminal, in the highest degree ; he. cause, as a reason to avoid disclaiming the sanguinary threats, instigations, incendiarism, and treasonable proposals of the leading Tory-Radicals—Stephens, Oastler, and Feargus O'Connor—the Working Mews' Association state that such a disclaimer would cause a division between them and the Ra dicals of the northern parts of England—thus avowing an identity between the two bodies which they refuse to dissolve, and thereby create the necessary division between themselves and the incendiaries, blood-thirsty declaimers, and traitorous agitators of the Northern Tory_ Radicals. And moreover they state as a reason for refusing to dis claim the bloodthirsty Feargus O'Connor that "they are unwilling to lessen his usefulness" —aye " his usefulness"—that is the very word they use, so that according to them a man may suggest the burning of factories and horneste:Jls, the resorting to armed violence and sanguinary insurrection, and the commis sion of high treason itself, and still be considered " useful" to the purposes of the Loudon Working Mena' Association. Your Conimittee further beg leave to report their great anxiety to be upon terms of kindness, and as far as individual opinions of the members of the Precursor Society may admit, to co- operate with all such honest Reformers and:general Radi cals of England, as make " Peace, Law, and Order" the guides of their p ursu it, an d t h e li m i ts of their exertions to ameliorate, peacefully and constitutionally, the existing politi cal institutions of the country, deprecating, as we do, upon all occasions, all violent and turbulent proceedings. The Committee most anxiously desire to draw the line of distinction so broadly as to be incapable of mistake between honest and sincere Reformers, and those who assume the cha racter with other and pernicious designs. Your Committ ee w i s h to inspire the people with a desire for practical benefits, and not for dangerous theories; and above all, they will boldly repudiate all fellowship and com munion with those whose councils and actions are not only fraught with danger to the peace of society, bat to the well being even of those whose exclusive interests they profess to maintain. In conclusion, your Committee beg leave to express their deep and conscientious conviction that the Stephens's, the Oastlers, the Feargus O'Connors, and all those who either actively join these mischievous and misguiding men, or refuse under any pretext to repudiate and totally reject such men, and more csrectally those who deem incendiaries of such descrip tion useful for their purposes, must be considered as the most furmidable enemies of all peaceful, legal, practical, and Con stitutional Reforms; and as the most efficient allies of the bigotry, monopoly, and selfish tyranny of the odious Tory faction of Great Britain and Ireland. Signed on behalf of the Committee, DANIEL O'CONNELL, Chairman. Mr. O'Connell then read a report from the Committee on Tithes, very ably and minutely drawn up, but only of Irish interest, as it is instructions to the tenant how to pro ceed under the Rent-charge Act. The report was adopted. Mr. O'Connell announced that the money re ceived since last meeting was 2771. 17s. Bd., and moved that the meeting adjourn to Tuesday next. The meeting then separated. THE O'CONNELL DINNER.—This entertainment is fixed for the 22d January. The chair will be taken by Peter Purcell, Esq., and the tickets will be only 10s. The Registry Appeals, which involve so much interest here, will come on in the Court of Exchequer on Monday. The City of Dublin will be the prize of the victorious party, for the point raised affects all the new registra tions in the city by the Tories. SANDW ICH BOROUGH SESSIONS (THURSDAY, DEC. 27.) Before the Recorder, W. F. BoLETON, Esq., and a Bench of Magistrates.) This business of this Sessions was unusually light. The only else of importance was one arising out of a quarrel between two officers serving in the late Portuguese contest. A true bill was found against Mr. George Hawkins, for an assault on Sir Charles Shaw, the defendant having horse whipped the plaintiff on Ramsgate Pier. The plaintiff's solicitor immediately handed in a writ of certiorari, remov ing the case into the Court of Queen's Bench. Mr. COCKBURN, who had come down specially from London for Mr. Hawkins, stated that his client appeared in Court to' answer the charge. The RECORDER inquired whether it was usual for the defendant to be called upon for fresh recognizances ? Mr. COCKBURN said that Mr. Hawkins having appeared, the former recognizances were clearly discharged. The RECORDER then asked whether Mr. Hodges, the landlord of the Castle Inn, who had volunteered to become bail for the appearance of the plaintiff at the Sessions, would object to be continued bound. Mr. Hodges said that there was now no necessity, as Mr. Hawkins was surrounded by his friends. Mr. COCKBURN said that the plaintiff would have been enabled to have obtained hail to any amount out of the county, but before the Magistrate that had been ob jected to. The RECORDER thought there was no difficulty upon that point. The Learned Counsel (Mr. CociounN) said that he had come perfectly unprepared for this stroke of policy on the put of the plaintiff. His client had, at a very great expense, brought down witnesses, Counsel. and other pro fessional assistance, for the purpose of meeting the case, and he thought it very hard that it should have been re moved without giving the usual notice ; but as that course had been taken, although it had not been asked for, his client had no objection to find a surety for his appearance in the Court of Queen's Bench. The recognizances having been entered into, the defen dant left the Court, accompanied by his friends, siiveral distinguished military officers, who had come for the purpose of speaking to the high character of Mr. Hawkins as an officer and a gentleman. At the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland, Jo seph Hagen, a man who kept a shop in the Canongate, Edinburgh, was tried on the 26th of this month for the murder of his wife. A little girl, not more than eleven years old (a niece of the deceased), was the first and prin cipal witness examined, not upon oath, but her testimony was corroborated by that of several other witnesses, and by some circumstantial proof. It appeared, that though the deceased and her husband lived together on good terms, and that in the evidence for the prosecution no immediate cause of quarrel appeared to have occurred, Hagen with the most brutal violence took a bludgeon, knocked the un fortunate woman down, beat her about the head and on every part of her body, inflicting wounds of the severest kind wherever h e s t ruc k, and leaving no considerable portion of her limbs unmarked by bruises, tearing her hair, kicking her on both sides, placing a chair upon her chest and abdomen, then jumping upon the chair himself, and in a manner the most deliberate and re moreless, laving no effort untried to extinguish life till strength and breath appeared to fail him. Still his unhappy victim survived till the next day. The defence set up by the prisoner was, that the deceased was a drunkard—that she was drunk at the time in question—that he only inflicted upon her the sort of castigation which he thought justifiable—ani; that he had no intention whatever of committing homicide. Se veral witnesses were examined for the defence, to show that the deceased was a drunkard, and that the accused was a good-tempered, sober, and kind-hearted man. His Counsel contended that the evidence of some of the witnesses for the prosecution was contradictory of itself ; that there had been no post morlenz examination of the head of the deceased ; and, for aught that appeared, a blood vessel of her brain might have been ruptured ; and he called their attention to facts proved in the course of the trial, showing that the pri soner had ever been kind and indulgent to his wife ; that he even went beyond his means to procure wine for her, in order to wean her from spirits. Finally, he availed himself of the arguments commonly urged against capital punish ments in general. The Learned Judge (Lord Moncrief), in summing up; indicated oven more plainly than Judges are wont, his opinion that the case was clearly one of wilful murder. A verdict of " Culpable Homicide" was, how ever, pronounced ; and the other Judges of the Court, Lord Medwyn and Lord Cockburn, very unequivocally noticed " the extraordinary leniency" of the Jury. The prisoner was sentenced to the severest punishment which the Court could inflict — transportation for life. Mr. Van Buren, the son of the President of the United States, sat within the bar during the whole of the proceedings. The Carlisle Journal says that a torch-light meet ing was a few days ago held at Dalston, near Carlisle, where guns were actually discharged amongst the crowd. The Bishop of London, in his ordination sermon at St. James's Church last Sunday, condemned, in strong terms, the late judgment of Sir Herbert Jenner, sanctioning the doctrine of prayers for the dead. The ship Alfred, Captain Flint, from London and Plymouth, for Sydney, with numerous passengers, was spoken with on the 28th Sept. in lat. 32. 30. N., long. 45. 20., all well. ADDRESS TO OUR READERS, THE PAST AND TliE FUTURE. (From the Weekly Chronicle of this day.) The WEEKLY CHRONICLE has now been in existence since September, 1836, and during this period it has consumed 3,8111.000 ttsmps, and paid 24,2291, 3s. 41. to the publi c revenue. Having acquired, in the first inatacce, an immense circula tion, under particular circumstances, and without env political character, it is most gratifying to the present peeprietors to reflect that so large a proportion of this circulation has been retained now that a decided political character has been as sumed, and all those adventitious aids discarded to which so much of the original popularity of the paper was ascribed. Since May, 1837, when our connection with the WEEKLY CHRONICLE commenced, it has been our endeavour fairly to try the great experiment, whether the principles of what has been sneeringly termed " Rational Rediealism" might not be substituted in a popular paper for that trashy and sens€less declarnation—those wild impracticabilities—that fierce and vindictive denunciation of all men and all things not abso lutely in harmony with their own crude notions—in which the Editors of Papers more peculiarly addressed to the people have been in the habit of indulging. No man in this coun try has a right to complain of the abuses of the Press, if he refuse to aid in correcting them. Its liberty is essential to our very existence ; but the word liberty carries with it the idea of active exertion. Wherever there is liberty there will be differences ; where there are differences, there must be a con stela appeal to some tribunal ; and foolish, or faint-hearted, indeed, must be those, who, in times like these, and in a country like England, where public opinion is all powerful, because intelligence is widely diffused, suffer judgment to go by default, rather than take the trouble of exposing the er rors of their adversaries. We do not belong to this school. Convinced as every thinking man ought to be, of the soundness of our own prin ciples, we have thrown ourselves fearlessly upon the judgment of our countrymen. We have never shrunk from the task of discussing, and defending, our opinions, however contrary to the current notions of the day ; and we have the satisfaction of reflecting, that, upon mans' important questions, we can already plead a marked alteration in the views of our oppo nents, as the best justification of our own. There was a time, when our opinions respecting Canada were the subject of much, and bitter, comment. Sir William Molesworth's recent address to his constituents proves that one (and riot the least distinguished) of those, with whom we were then at issue, has come round to our doctrines. Others are about to follow ; and, if another meeting of English " Sympathisers" were proposed, Colonel Thompson, who, we presume, would take the chair, would probably occupy it alone. In the case of the Hand-loom weavers, and of Emigration (as a national resource, upon the largest conceivable scale,) we have exposed the fallacy and real inhumanity of Cobbelt's school, which, by persuading those, whom the march of im provement unhappily leaves on one side, that they are entitled to demand of the community at large that support, in a par ticular trade, or parish, which the labour market no longer affords, cramps the mind, and confines exertion to one narrow locality, instead of encouraging mankind to take possession of that inexhaustible field, which a bounteous Providence holds out to them. We were denounced for this, as hard-hearted economists at the time, but no articles were so much read as those upon Emigration, nor is there any subject which we have been so much pressed, by readers belonging to the work ing-classes themselves, to resume. With regard to the Chartists, our conduct has been guided by the same principles. We neither are, nor will be, the paper of a class. We are no monopolists in representation. But when we see the demand for a more extended franchise cou pled with designs, which we believe to be subversive of all society, and hear language addressed to large assemblies of Englishmen, which, in lieu of any practical amelioration of their condition, we know can only lead to universal confusion and misery, we should be ashamed of ourselves were we to shrink from exposing the emptiness and denouncing the wickedness, of such doctrines, or from warning the people against the abyss, into Which their present leaders seem re volved to plunge them. We took this line at all risks. If we have been rewarded for our houasty by success—if the circulation of the WEEKLY CHRONICLE has increased as its exposure of the designs of the Physical-force-men has proceeded—if the paper has now as sumed a well-defined place amongst the organs of public opi nion---it only proves that we have been right from the first, in relying, as we have done, upon the common serve of the country. To me, it a continuance of the support which we have received, is now the great object of our ambition; and a change having recently taken place in the proprietorship of the paper, which will facilitate the execution of our plans, it is our intention to make, at once, improvements, the want of which we have long felt, without having, till now, the means introducing them. With this view, the WEEKLY CHRONICLE will appear on the 6th of January, 1839 (when the Queen's portrait is to be de livered) in a new and enlarged form, which will add considera bly to the matter contained in it. The paper, henceforward, will he of the best quality ; and the services of a gentleman of great ability, who is to act as sub-editor, having been secured, a system will be adopted by which every branch of infor mation, foreign and domestic, will be equally attended to, and brought down to the last hour of publication. A full summary of Parliamentary proceedings will be given, after the manner of the Spectator and the Examiner, whose excellence in this department deserves all praise, and no expense will he spared to concentrate within the columns of the Wann,T CKartoralci..a, u r. ,o. all other matters of gene ral importance, as much of interest, and of novelty, as its limits will allow. We hope that upon these conditions, which shall be punc tually adhered to on our part, the supporters of the paper will not object to the addition of one halfpenny to its price, with. out which it is impossible that our promises should be fulfilled. The WEEKLY CHRONICLE, at 4i-d. (which will be its price after the present week), will still he cheaper than any Metro politan Weekly paper, and as cheap as most of the Provincial papers of any note. The Dispatch is 6d., the Examiner 6[1., tire (Spectator 9d., the Atlas—a smaller paper than the WEEKLY CHRONICLE-10d., the Weekly True Sun 5d., the Observer 5d., the Sunday Times 6d. All the Birmingham papers are sd. ; the Liverpool papers sd. ; the Bath, Bristol, Brighton, and Gloucester papers, sd. ; most of the County papers are sd. ; while at Leeds, Manchester, York, New castle, Carlisle, Sheffield, Aberdeen, GlaQgow, Dundee, Pres ton, Bury, and Exeter, we find no local paper published un er 4id., that pretends to any circulation at all. Of the Chartist papers, the price of the most influential (the Northern Star) is 41d. ; the Champion is sd. ; but the Operative will not dispense its lucubrations under 6d., which, indeed, is dirt cheap, when we consider the originality of Mr. Bronterre's views. Now, without any disparagement to the Journals that we have named, we think that the WEEKLY CHRONICLE, pos sessing, as it does, the best sources of information, and con ducted, as it will be, in strict conformity to the plan here j announced, may put forward equal claims to public favour, and expect an equal degree of public support. We wish to keep to the very lowest price that will enable us to do justice to our subscribers. We find that we cannot ensure this, not , withstanding the largeness of our circulation, so long as the paper is sold at the present rate; and we expect a ready acquiescence in a change by which our readers will benefit infinitely more than ourselves. Of our conduct as regards the future, we hope that it is needless for us to speak. We have no party, no " idols," as old Bacon would call them ; but having adopted certain opinions, with a deep conviction of their importance, we shall adhere to those opinions faithfully, whether popular or un popular, suitable or unsuitable, to the political combinations of the day. Parties are things of little moment in our eyes, unless identified with great principles, the success or failure of which is implied by the accession to power ef certain men. What our principles are our readers know. We wish for the largest extension of the present suffrage, that is, or may be found, compatible with the security of property, and the in violability of private rights, upon which we hold society, and civilisation, to depend. To the full extent of Household Suffrage we are prepared at once to go. The perfect inde pendence of the voter through the medium of the Ballot, and the enforcing of the responsibility of the representative through the medium of Triennial Parliaments, are objects which appear to us worthy of the united efforts of all liberal men. In these—in the abolition of the Corn-laws, which are fettering the best energies of the country, and adding to the hardship; of our climate at the present season, both in the agricultural, and themanufacturing districts, by inflicting upon us a factitious scarcity of food ;—in carrying out, to the fullest extent, in England, Ireland, and Scotlund,the great principles of religious liberty, flowing from the equality of all men in the sight of God—these are objects in which the WEEKLY CHRO NICLE will be found, at all times, gladly and zealously to con cur, let who will be in power. We repeat that we have no party. We are not the Paper of a class, but the Paper of the people. It is not to the ephe meral combinations of the present House of Commons that we appeal, but to the hearts and convictions of thinking and practical men in all parts of the Empire, upon whom the future character of the National Legislature depends. If there be any amongst these, who think our warm espousal of Lord Durham's interests incompatible with that independence from party trammels which we profess, we beg them to watch us narrowly. We proffered our allegiance to Lord Durham after his Devonport declaration, because (as Mr. Attwood tells his friends) the people must have leaders, and we know no other leader at the present day whose standard the Rational Radicals can follow without inconsistency or disgrace. But Lord Dur ham will never find us blind, or obsequious, eulogists. There is no more hateful maxim to us than that of the old poet, who says, when describing the quintessence of courtiership— " Hinge thy knee, And let his very breath, whom thoult observe, Blow off thy cap;.—Praise his most vicious strain, And call it excellent." If Lord Durham's strains be vicious, he must not look to us for commendation. We claim, and shall exercise, the most entire freedom of judgment, in discussing his policy both in Canada and here, and shall speak of all his acts with perfect honesty arid independence. But where Lord Durham is right, we shall go with him, heart and hand, caring little whether his principles lead him to power or to a long o pposi• tion, provided he honourably adhere to them. That he will adhere to them we believe, because we have faith in his high-mindedness and integrity ; and so long as he remains true to his own Political creed, he shall command, within our humble sphere, the zealous co. operation of the WEEKLY CHRONICLE. WHAT'S IN A NAM E ?--Among the pe rsons charged with drunkennes s a t Bow-street on Wednesday was one rejoicing in the name of Temperance Stevens. SCOTLAND. ADDRESS TO LORD DURHAM.—:MEETING OF THE COUNTY OF CLACKMANNAN. We leant from the Glasgow Argus that there was a numerous and respect , ,ble meeting of the inhabitants of the county of Clackmannan last Monday ; it was held in the Market-place of Alloa, The object fur which the meeting was conver,cd, was to consider the propriety of addressing Lord Durham, and of " congratulating him on his return home, and expresing their film adherence to those principles which his Lordship expressed at Glasgow, in 1834, and reiterated on a late occasion at Devonport." The Address—which was moved by the Hon. James Erskine Murray, in a speech reported by the Argus—it will be seen speaks of the dissension of the Liberal part, and the vacillating conduct of its leaders as danger:ins to civil and re ligious liberty. It also announces " unflinching adherence" on the prt of the addressers to " the principles expressed by your Lordship in Scotland, in 1834, and reiterated on a late occasion." We here subjoin the unanimously adopted Address:_. TO TIIE EARL OF DURHAM. My Lord—We, the inhabitants of the county of Clackman nazi, assembled together this day, beg leave most respectfully to offer to your Lordship our most hearty congratulations on your safe arrival in your native country. The almost unanimous satisfaction which your Lordship's appointment as Governor-General of Canada, with extraor dinary powers, gave to the country, led us to hope that, in the prosecution of the arduous and difficult task which you had undertaken, you would receive that support in the admin;stra don of your government, so necessary to secure its efficiency for the purposes which it had in view—the termination of civil discord, and the uprooting of party animosity, by wise and ju dicious reform in the internal government of these colonies. Such, however, my Lord, has not been the case, and we deeply regret that our Catadian brethren have been deprived of that administration in whose policy they have so sincerely evinced their confidence, and by whose means they hoped to receive the blessings of peace, social harmony, and good go vernment. But, my Lord, however much we may deplore the increased sufferings of the Canadians—however much we may regret the circumstances which have caused them to be deprived of your Lordship's government, we are nevertheless most sen sible of the great necessity there is, at tl:e present juncture of political affairs, for your Lordship's presence in the mother country, where disunion among the Liberal party, and the va cillating conduct of its leaders, must, if of much longer conti nuance, prove destructive to civil and religious liberty, by the return to power of that party in the State who have ever been the enemy of both. In such times, my Lord, and at such a crisis, we regard your Lordship as an individual through whose character and influence—founded on the advocacy of, and adherence to those principles most conducive to the welfare and prosperity of the country—the dissensions among Reformers may be obliterated, and their strength and power wielded as when an unreformed House of Commons unwillingly subscribed to the Reform Bill. In conclusion, my Lord, we beg to say that to those prin ciples which your Lordship expressed in Scotland in 1834, and reiterated on a late occasion at Devonport, we most un flinchingly adhere, and we confidently rely on the attainment, under your Lordship's auspices, of those safe, efficient, and constitutional Reforms so earnestly desired by the people of this country. FEARGITS O'CONNOR.—It appears that we are likely to have another visit from Feargus O'Connor. At a meeting of the Universal Suffrage Association on Tuesday night, it was proposed to invite Mr. O'Connor, to attend a great meet ing to be held on the 2d January, for the purpose of further considering the appointment of delegates to the Convention in London ; but latterly it was agreed that the invitation should go from the Delegates, to whom, it appears, the arrangements for the meeting have been confided.—Glasgow Argus. • RURAL POLICE.-The Government journals in all parts of the empire are availing themselves of the incipient panic, oc ' casioned by the incendiary speeches of Stephens and Co. to insist upon the establishment of a rural police. It is true that throughout the nation we have no such thing as an efficient rural police. It is only in incorporated towns and in landward towns, with Police Acts, that any pre cautions are taken for the security of life and property. We agree with the Government scribes, that it is neces sary to extend to the rural districts the advantages of police protection enjoyed in towns. But they overlook (wil fully, we believe) a very important item .---theAohole system must be transplanted into the rural districts, or none of it. To establish a strong rural police, paid and managed by the central Government, which they aim at, would be to canton through the country a standing army, for the support of the Government of the day, in any anti-national line of policy it might see fit to adopt. We must have no political yens d'armerie in Great Britain. The local police must be paid and managed by the local rate-payers in country as well as in town. In this case it will be really an institution for the re pression of robbery and violence ; if intrusted to the manage ment of the central Government, or of Justices of the Peace, or Sheriffs, appointed by it, the thing will inevitably become an armed and organised counterpoise to our semi-popularised House of Commons—a means of suppressing any public meet ing disagreeable to Downing-street.—lbid, SPIRITS. —The number of gallons of proof spirits distilled in Scotland in the year ending sth January, 1838, was m 9, a 0 1 1 t 2 w4 ,48 h 5 u ; n tr m i , f d ro g m ra imaltgrain, 2, 0 7 n 8 1 3 y :1 6 3 , 4. 229,351, from a mixture of A RETURNED CONVICT GANG.—A gang of returned con victs were apprehended by the police on Saturday prowling about the city, and now stand charged with the commission of two robberies in November and September. Concealed in their boots were found a variety of skeleton keys and pick locks. They belonged to the higher walks of their profession, and are well-dressed good-looking fellows. They have all been committed for trial.—Edinburgh Courant. HERRINGS.—A shoal of herrings has set in for the last eight days into the bay opposite the harbour and town of Fisherrow, which is not only giving employment to all the boats of that town ; but also to the boats along the coast from Newhaven, Prestonpans, Buckhaven, &c., and even boys with pieces of old nets set at low water, have been singularly successful. One boat obtained yesterday morning upwards of 20 crans at the mouth of the Esk in 12 feet of water, IRELAND. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) DUBLIN, DEC. 27. THE ENGLISH RADICALS AND THE PRECURSOR SOCIETY. —An adjourned meeting of the Precursor Society was held this day, for the purpose of receiving three reports, prepared by Sub-Committees ; one on the Registry ques tion—a second embodying an address to the English Radi cals—and the third containing an exposition of the Tithe Mr. O'CoN NE LE moved for the admission of two hundred of the ladies of Limerick, who were admitted amid loud and enthusiastic cheers. The SECRETARY read a communication from Mr. Stephen D'Elor, enclosing Si. 10s. from the London Precursor Society, and requesting 2,000 cards. It is dated from the Committee-room, Great Marlborough -street, St. James's. He also read a letter from Mr. Henry Rukaby, Rocking ham, Yorkshire, enclosing 101., the subscription of 125 Liberals of that neighbourhood. Mr. O ' CONNELL made some observations on the neces sity for the Irish Members being in their place at the open ing of Parliament, and stated that he would be there him self, though he would not neglect the Precursor Society, for he Would be in that room once a fortnight for some time to come.—(Loud cheers.) He would pair off for a day, even if it were with the Recorder, as often as it was necessary. Mr. O'Connell then, after some appropriat e observations, read the report of the Committee on Registry, stating that several sums (which were mentioned in detail) were sent to different localities, to enable the people to effect a registry of all Liberal claimants. The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to say he was about, he trusted for the last time, to read a document addressed to the English Radicals. He did it with more satisfaction, because since the Committee had taken up the question, Mr. Lovett, the Secretary of the Working Men's Association, bad conducted himself in a manner worthy of the thanks and praise of every friend of rational liberty. At a meeting in London, Mr. Lovett had appealed to Feargus O'Connor—now known as blood-thirsty Feargus—to postpone the time of vio lence, which he had fixed for September next, and impressed on the meeting the benefit of relyi ng on moral power, an d th e e ff ec t s o f education. His ob servations t o thi s e ff ec t were rece i ve d w ith hisses, and Feargus, in reply, did not deny that he had recommended the dagger and the torch. O'Connor had praised the re port in The Sun; and, indeed, he might conscientiously do so---and it appeared from it that Mr. Lovett's direct ..-, ' I 1 EXHIBITIONAT THE MANCHESTI ; MECHANICS' INSTITUTION THE CORN LAWS-MANCHESTEgi Great as has been the impression made throughout the country, in consequence of the meeting of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, f or th e repea l o f th e Corn-laws" it would appear also to have given an astonishing impetus to the Corn-law Association here, to whom belongs', to give all parties their due, the sin g ular merit or having prompted, perhaps goaded would be better , the sluggish Directors of the Chamber to put forth their energies on this vital question. A vast accession of emu' hers to both the Association and the body which so ably discussed the question, will, no doubt, be the consequenc e ' It is well known here, particularly to those who are at all acquainted with the sinuous political chairman on tbst occasion, Mr. G. W. Wood, M.P., for Kendal, that o° proceedings, which it may be in his power to influence, will ever have his hearty concurrence when those proceed ings are at all likely to embarrass the present Ministry% although the salvation of the country might almost de' pend on the adoption of a contrary course. The foil halt however, been nobly wrested from his hands, so that both his active and covert attacks will for the future be harmless- That this question of questions was discussed in the Chs w ber with an ability which would have done credit to tl?'" House of Commons, or any other deliberative assembly ' l3 the world, seems on all hands to be admitted ; to saY nc. thing of the invaluable facts brought to bear on the sr lb- a ject, and whi c h i n rea lity g i ves ever y a t om o f we ight zur importance to the proceedings. For wh a t can th e Chandas es and the Knatchbulls do with facts like those broached g' the meeting ? The fact is, that facts, in spite of the Squirearchy, will remain facts—aye, remain facts. Thet b then, must be d ea lt w ith b y St a t esmen , an d no t by tu e Blue-Coat, Top-Boot, and Ash-plant men, as Cobbe tt significantly called the country gentlemen. The Co rr law Association here, backed by the Repeal Me w bers of the Chamber of C ommerce , are 1 34 : ° „. seeding most vigorou s ly. It i s con t em pl a t e d, or renal' it is an arranged affair, that there shall be a Corn-law Ir" peal Dinner in Manchester, to be held some time in . r nuary, to which Mr. Villi ers an d every we ll-k n own 8 1 public advocate of the measure i s t o b e i nv it e d. It vil h doubtless be the most nu merous mee ti ng ever held for s uch a purpose. The only difficulty which presents itself to tb. Committee, is the obtaining any one place capable of eate r " taming the numbers likely to attend. The Corn Exchstig° is at present thought of ; but then, it will not dine swot s than 600 at the most. There is the theatre too, but esrotr this will not accommodate more than 700 or 800, and whi sk would require a large expenditure to make it at all conve nient. Recourse at last will, it is probable, be had to some temporaryerection,and the expense .clefrayed by subscripti on ' Various members of the Chamber of Commerce have ex pressed themselves to the writ e r, i n terms most flattering, of the proprietor of The Sun, for his very pertinent rei marks on the subject of the Manchester meeting, 80 , through which medium the c ou ntry at large was first aroused from its lethargy on this too long dormant subjeete LABOURER'S WAGES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—Although the farmers are no favourites with your nor the Radicals with me, I feel assured, from your usuali courtesy, that you *ill, in justice to the former, allow me* short space in The Sun for the insertion of a few observa tions and home truths, to screen the agriculturists of this part of the country from the heavy censures of inhumanity and selfishness so lavishly heaped upon them by itinerant, patriots, and as severely commented upo n by th e press. 1 ` it be genuine patriotism to magnify the mise r i es and priva tions, and thereby to promote discontent amongst the labouring population—to keep out of sight the advantages and comforts enjoyed by the working classes of the pre" sent day, and which were unknown to them fifty Yea r , B ago, we are, I thi n k, f as t approac hi ng t o a c li max of enviabl e perfection. The readers of the daily press are told ovar and over again, with increasing indignation at the assum ed fact, that, maugre th e hi g h pr i ce o f gra i n, t h e h ar d-hearte n : farmers are only paying their starving labourers 6s• or a! most Ss. a-week I I ass u re y ou , Si r , f or thi s part of t hu country, " It's all a lie and false as hell !" and your sYra : : pathising readers will b e pl ease d t o b e un d ece i v ed. 11 .1! parish is one o f th e l arges t i n th e ki ng d om ; an d, after aid; gent inquiry, I f oun d b u t one f a i mer w h o i s P aying labourers 13s. a-week--all the rest from 14s. to 175., a s in some in s t ances a lit t l e more ; b es id es w hi c h, ma ny of labourers have sons from eight to thirteen years of age, 'su e regularly earn 3 s . 6d. a wee k. I t i s true t h e f arm ers bay s not generally advanced wages , th oug h some h a ve ; but # ,. 1 ought to be remembered th a t it i s qu i te customar y to low ; them durin g th e s h or t d ays o f w i nter, which, believ has not been the case this winter in a single instanne• 4 4 have also ext en d e d my i nqu i r i es to ot h er par i s h es , and "- that the same ratio of wages is paid in them as at this Pial e : and also that th ere are no a bl e -b o di e d men ou t of weir' rs If there are unr i g ht eous f armers w h o pay t h e i r lab°u , re to . only Bs. a-we e k, I f ear l ess l y assert t h e monsters are not he found in thi s di s t r i c t, an d I h ope an d t hi n k i n nn ,!"..n as I understand all a bl e -b o di e d men can procure woo' are wanted, upon railways, at 15s. a-week and UpWar" . Wishing you, M r . Edit or , a j ov i a l new year , an d Frasr e city to my country, _ I am, Sir, Worksop, Dee. 2B. AN ENGLISHMAN. JACK SHEPHARD BY THE AUTHOR ,icift fir `°RooKwoon."—The openi ng o f t hi s R omance i s s o wor t h of the hand which gave us t h e f amous Dick Turpia, "•-tri his ride to York and other adventures, that we feel mange to step out of our usual way to bid it welcome. Four ell; ter jsacfkormshetplipearidn,t,r,owduhciotohryspptehairrtyinptheagefisrsotfnutb.eVon4,°rte;,... andmos most s popularto run le) 's Miscellany" forthe new year. It succeeds " Oliver Twis ra " o p l a l r r i it p er as : sl a i n wit h h on " ou ß r ar as it appears to us from what we have seen', lik r e es l t to prove well deserved ; for there is much 1nf,,, e ,11, in the characters brought upon the scene • the scene its onfabynoßsuldigghet,"by the atilt, " the Old Borough Mint," is admirablypainted , 'and the " - f •• br , } „ s se dents and catastrophe to one of the actors, even within . 5 - f i na le compass, are most promising samples of the conduct an''s-hap we are to expect from the whole. The mother of Jack the pard, and his friend, Carpenter Wood, are living portraits ins hopeful sbn is presented to us in a striking manner ,oral, scene ; where is anadmirable mixture of the graPh ic ' r' locale and pathetic. The rising of the Minters, and nature, h i t"Scoteg itself, reminds us, and not unfavourably, 'of Sir Walter " Alsatia," the slang and behaviour of the a lii who be pert - , c.• one -, of these is the notorious Jonatl to ' :l ' 0 touched with a lively pencil. We ought not to draw more !ipo s a paper no longer than the one before us, but we were destrone todirect our readers ' attention to anew and very orginalleso tu T of amusement; the two illustrations by George Cruikshanke sri, almost superior to his well known and highly relished style. The variety of matter be has depicted in the ( 3 ' l ' where Wood offers to adopt Jack, is really wonderful ; a nd lo .. inmates seem to the other, Wild discovering Darrel in the loft, with the dark' puss and lantern light, is quite a gem of art.—Literary Gazette. An inquest was held yesterday in Rotherhithe on the body of a little girl, who in looking for some plaything had fallen into a ditch in which there was a co nsiderabl.e quantity of water. She was res cue d by a passenger , to all appearance in sufficient time to have saved her life, b ut acting on a popular, but very mistaken notion, he had held the unfortunate child up by the heels with a view to lot the water run out of her mouth. A verdict of" Accidental death" was returned. Some conversation took place rela tive to a more extended dissemination of the rules recom mended by the Humane Society to be observed for the recovery of p ersons a censure strongly ed to. The the adoption of the plan above referred pparently drowned. The S ociety two celebrat e d tenors, De Candia and Duprezt perfo rme d at t h e Academie Royale on F r id ay night, for the benefit of the widow of Lafont, a tenor of the same theatre. The receipts amounted to 19,000 f. Ds Cando , as Robert, in Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable, drew forth Oa' bounded applause in the fine duet, " Des Chevaliers de ma Patrie." Duprez, as Arnold, in Rossini's Guillaume Telly was still more rapturously cheered in the beautiful duet, " Il est done sorti de son ame Ce secret qu'ont trahi ses yeux." What may now be called the annual exhibition at ' the above institution was opened to the donor; on Wedn es4 Jay last, and to the public for the small charge of 6d. on Mull day. Great as were the attractions last year, in almos t every branch of art and science, the Directors hay on this occasion catered for the p u bli c t as t e muc h more success fully. The g a llery o f p a i n ti ngs con t a i ns t h e chef ural a ' re of many em i nen t ar ti s t s . Th e mec h an i ca l di sp l ay i s PI: ing rich, a n d di s pl a y s th e s i ngu l ar goo d taste o f t h a t h i ran; of the directi on t o w h om thi s d epartment was i n tru steu' In a few days an artificial l a k e , f orme d i n t h e pit of the Mechanics' Theatre, will he c o m pl e t e d, on w hi c h wilt' P A ° exhibited a steam-beat at work. Th e geo l og i s t may alPe ll ' ninny days in pondering over the rich and varied pro due' tions of nature without ennui. If, however, there is an)" one department more than another calculated to excite greater pleasure acd surprise, it is the entomological. Thu l a is the more gratifying, too, inasmuch as this part of the cO.lO luction is the property of the institution. There short, something calculated to please the most fastidious, connoisseur. The amount collected last year exceed ed 1,0001., and it cannot, with such management as is shown at the present exhibition, be less duri'xig the present one : indeed it would be a libel on public t aste to suppose that it would not greatly exceed it. The objec t of these displays of art and science are three—first, to en large and create a taste of a higher order among thy! ope retires ; secondly, to pay off a certain portion of debt; and, thirdly, to greatly extend the present accommod:ati° °. It is not saying too much, perhaps, to assert, that tilers is no mechanic's establishment in the kingdom to be sou'" pared with the Manchester, whether it regards the n umbers enrolled, or the vigour with which its operations are cote ducted.